U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,346 to Salvucci entitled RANDOM NUMBER SELECTION METHOD AND APPARATUS utilizes airflow to select and entrain a desired number of balls in a transparent tube extending vertically from a mixing chamber. After the designated number of balls are selected, a mechanical finger is utilized to entrap the balls in the vertical tube for a determinate period of time until the identity of the balls entrapped is obtained. The finger is then released and the balls fall back into the mixing chamber where the selection process can be again commenced and repeated.
While the Salvucci device is useful, various disadvantages are present in the apparatus. One such disadvantage is that the apparatus is intended to be placed at a number of locations where members of the general public are present. The vertically oriented transparent tube is susceptible to damage or misalignment because of its location as well as vandalism because of its exposed and vulnerable configuration. A further problem with the vertical configuration disclosed by Salvucci relates to the quantity of the airflow required to properly entrap the required number of balls. The vertical tube requires a higher rate of airflow and consequently more energy than may be required with a different design which makes the machine vulnerable to poor operation in certain environments.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is disclosed a lottery number selection apparatus comprising a mixing chamber, a tube having a pluarity of cylindrical sections, one of said cylindrical sections being a display section, said tube having an inlet and an outlet end, each of said inlet and outlet ends being open in said mixing chamber, a cover for said mixing chamber surrounding at least a portion of said tube, air supply means to provide air to said chamber through an aperture, the first of said plurality of cylindrical sections including said inlet end located substantially coaxial with and above said aperture and said display section being operably connected with said first section and extending in a direction generally parallel with the uppermost portion of said cover of said mixing chamber.